Cutting the Cord

10/18/03

My stepdaughter has found living in my house in the mountains with a toddler and
commuting into the Valley to work is just too much. So they are leaving
the house in Dec. And I've decided to sell the house.

Houses in the mountains don't always sell very quickly. I've started
dealing with a very good realtor (she sold me the house), and even with softer
prices I believe I'll make a bit of a profit.

But it really feels like cutting the cord.

I love Silicon Valley, the concept. I loved the excitement of starting
companies, the focus, the hard work, and the achievement. I was able to
make some reasonable money, although I'm far from rich, and my retirement fund
makes me worry about living too long. I learned a ton.

But the Silicon Valley I love is in eclipse now. So many people out of
work, including my son. Not much new going on. Lots of programming
jobs going overseas. Companies like Sun staggering, like a fighter who has
taken so many punches he doesn't realize he's hurt. It seems quite
sad. And the nagging feeling that Silicon Valley has embraced the youth
culture--that what I have to offer (experience and good advice, as well as
technical acumen) just isn't as valued there as it is in my current company.

And I do enjoy New England. Over and over, I'm struck by how nice the
people are. Maybe I was influenced by my first wife, maybe the 50's and
60's were just colder times than the present, and maybe the community I move
into is just especially nice, but we have made so many good friends
here... Many more than we did in "friendly" California. It
would be hard to leave.

And yet, cutting the cord is hard. Diana's parents. My kids.

We'll be able to use the money, put it to work on our house here and in my
retirement account. Maybe do some traveling. Focus our energies
locally. All good things.

I feel relieved in thinking that you can take me out of the valley, but you
can't take the Valley out of me. Those 15 years changed me. I'm
going to be involved in start-up companies again in my life, although probably
not as a founder. And I'm having more fun than I've had in years on my
job.